September seems to be the month when I realize that the gardening season is coming to an end, and that it is high time to put aside as much food as possible for the winter months ahead. It's like the jars of strawberry preserves, currant jelly, pickles and the kilos of fruit in the freezer that I've already put up don't count. The frenzy starts now.
There is a lot of fruits and veg in season, and I haven't even started harvesting the carrots, corn, turnips and pumpkins. I think it is this over-abundance that brings out the squirrel in me. I don't want anything to go to waste! Much better if it all goes to waist. Haha.
Jam, of course. I have a tried and true recipe for plum-apple jam which I ignored this year, because I found a new recipe with rum and walnuts that sounded very promising. I thought it would be a more savory jam, for eating with cheese. I was wrong. It was definitely sweet, and tasted similar to my original recipe. You couldn't taste the walnuts, or the rum, and it was a bit runny. It will do for this year, but next year we go back to our original recipe.
It will last months and months if refrigerated, and there is absolutely nothing better over vanilla ice cream. Nothing.
Perhaps you need to see it close up...
One more picture, you say? Happy to oblige...
Moving on from plums... I made my first batch of dried tomatoes.
Making them in the oven did prompt my father to buy me a dehydrator, though. Thanks, dad! We've been having fun experimenting with fruit.
They look good enough to eat, right?
I made prunes, as well, which turned out very pruney.
So we'll say that was a success, although no one around here is a big fan of prunes. What didn't turn out very well were the currants. I had them in the dehydrator for two days, and they never dried. They were just way too juicy. Bummer! I was really looking forward to having them in my Christmas fruitcake instead of dried cranberries.
I've picked about 6 liters of blackberries so far this season, and except for this jam, all of them have been eaten straight from the bowl.
Okay, if I'm going to be honest I'll have to admit to the frequent addition of a little whipped cream. Ok, a lot of whipped cream.
We deserved it, after pulling up 60 pounds of potatoes...
Small this year, but tasty. I've harvested about half the yellow onions as well. They are curing in the wood shed.
Those cucumbers turned into our second batch of pickles.
The bell pepper and chili plants are giving a good yeild this year. Here you see a mix of long-slims and jalapeños.
The jalapeños are very mild, while the long-slims are very hot. So I canned them together.
We're also crazy with apples right now, and will be for the next couple of months.
I'm hoping to get the first batch of cider started this weekend.
Everyday there is more and more to harvest. We're having a ball in our garden. Hope you are too!
There is a lot of fruits and veg in season, and I haven't even started harvesting the carrots, corn, turnips and pumpkins. I think it is this over-abundance that brings out the squirrel in me. I don't want anything to go to waste! Much better if it all goes to waist. Haha.
First up were the plums. Plum season seemed short this year. One day I'm trying to find a few ripe ones on the tree, and next thing you know, they're overripe and melting into each other, covered with bees. But I managed to harvest a few kilos during the short season, and here's what I did with them:
Jam, of course. I have a tried and true recipe for plum-apple jam which I ignored this year, because I found a new recipe with rum and walnuts that sounded very promising. I thought it would be a more savory jam, for eating with cheese. I was wrong. It was definitely sweet, and tasted similar to my original recipe. You couldn't taste the walnuts, or the rum, and it was a bit runny. It will do for this year, but next year we go back to our original recipe.
If you want to combine plums and rum, then our favorite way to do it is by melting sugar with a little water to create a syrup, simmering plums in this, then pouring them into a jar with rum and sliced lime
It will last months and months if refrigerated, and there is absolutely nothing better over vanilla ice cream. Nothing.
Plum cake is also good. Especially with nuts. Yum!
Perhaps you need to see it close up...
One more picture, you say? Happy to oblige...
Moving on from plums... I made my first batch of dried tomatoes.
I made them in the oven, but that didn't stop me from writing sun-dried on the bags. Technicality...
Making them in the oven did prompt my father to buy me a dehydrator, though. Thanks, dad! We've been having fun experimenting with fruit.
Apple rings with cinnamon were a huge success.
I made prunes, as well, which turned out very pruney.
So we'll say that was a success, although no one around here is a big fan of prunes. What didn't turn out very well were the currants. I had them in the dehydrator for two days, and they never dried. They were just way too juicy. Bummer! I was really looking forward to having them in my Christmas fruitcake instead of dried cranberries.
In addition to apple rings I made apple sauce, seen here with some blackberry jam I put up.
I've picked about 6 liters of blackberries so far this season, and except for this jam, all of them have been eaten straight from the bowl.
Okay, if I'm going to be honest I'll have to admit to the frequent addition of a little whipped cream. Ok, a lot of whipped cream.
...and all the red onions.
I harvested the last of the beans and peas, blanched them and stuffed them in the freezer. There's only about enough for one meal of each, but it's still veg I don't have to buy at the store.
Those cucumbers turned into our second batch of pickles.
The bell pepper and chili plants are giving a good yeild this year. Here you see a mix of long-slims and jalapeños.
The jalapeños are very mild, while the long-slims are very hot. So I canned them together.
We're also crazy with apples right now, and will be for the next couple of months.
